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Designing a Renewable City Model

Student structures created in this unit. From left to right; a KidWind wind turbine, a posterboard with a green space and a blue waterway that has tiny home models incorporated, and a student model of a playground. In the back is a Powerwheel.
Learning Goals

Learning Goals:

  1. Creativity and innovative thinking are essential life skills that can be developed. (VA: Cr1)
  2. Artists and designers experiment with forms, structures, concepts, media, and art-making approaches. (VA: Cr2)
  3. Visual imagery influences understanding of and responses to the world. (VA: Re. 7)
  4. Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem. (VA: CR1.1.4a)
  5. Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches. (VA:Cr2.1.4a)
  6. Analyze components in visual imagery that convey messages. (VA:Re.7.2.4a)
  7. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. (3-5-ETS1-3)
  8. Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. (3-5-ETS1-3)
  9. Define and delimit engineering problems. (3-5-ETS1-A)
  10. Develop possible solutions. (3-5-ETS1-B)
  11. Optimize the design solution. (3-5-ETS1-C)
  12. Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and the fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment. (4-ESS3-1)
  13. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of earth’s features. (4-ESS22)
  14. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W 4.10
Materials List

Handouts

Group Supplies

  • KidWind Basic Wind Experiment Kit (example)
  • Recycled shoe boxes
  • Miscellaneous recycled materials (cardboard boxes, plastic containers)
  • Straws
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Recycled fabric
  • Tape
  • Hot-glue gun & glue sticks
  • Heavy poster board
  • Plaster strips or paper mache
  • Modeling materials
  • Acrylic or tempera paint
  • Pencils
  • Sharpies
  • Smaller wood sticks
  • Toothpicks
  • Sticky notes
  • Butcher paper

Important Links

Lesson 6 of 7 / Time: 5-10 periods of 1 Hour

This lesson appears as a part of the following:
– Water Power Implementation Toolkit

Using the question, “How might we design a renewable city with sustainable systems that will help the inhabitants live equitably and reduce carbon?”, students will research individually chosen topics and construct 3D models of different systems to help reduce climate change. Group collaboration will build community as students work towards the common goal of creating a sustainable city with renewable resources.
A study of our local Quinalt community, currently in the process of moving their town to higher ground, will allow students to consider ways to better plan a city with changing weather and diminishing coastlines in mind. By tracking their climate footprint, students will see other important ways to reduce their personal carbon footprints.
Students build written and oral communication skills by writing about their 3D design investigation, and sharing their ideas with an audience.

 

Renewable City

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